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In-jokes and references
Blizzard has included many in-jokes and pop-culture references in various forms throughout WoW. ;See also: * Easter Eggs * There is no cow level * List of Pop culture references in Warcraft * Blizzplanet list of WoW easter eggs - http://www.blizzplanet.com/?action=Content&pa=showpage&pid=91 Characters A-Me 01 *A-Me 01, a robotic gorilla, is named after the gorilla (Amy) from the book Congo by Michael Crichton. A quest featuring the very same robotic gorilla is named after a Kevin Smith movie, Chasing Amy by Mirimax Films. Algernon *In the Undercity there is an NPC named Algernon. In his right hand he is holding flowers, a reference to Daniel Keyes' short story "Flowers for Algernon" written in 1960. Auctioneers * There is an Auctioneer O'reely in Booty Bay and an Auctioneer Yarly in the Undercity which refers to the popular "Orly" owls. Bankers * The three bankers in Stormwind are named after the lead female actor in the movie 'Grease' - Olivia Newton John. * The male bankers in Ironforge are named for the legendary Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, while Cirque du Soleil provides the name of the female banker. * The bankers in the Undercity have names which reference William Shakespeare. They share the last name Montague, a reference to Romeo and Juliet, it being the first title character's last name. William is a direct reference to the author. Ophelia is a reference to the female characters from Hamlet. Mortimer is a reference to Lady Mortimer from Henry IV. Bloodlord Mandokir *The boss Bloodlord Mandokir sometimes says "Ding!" (and occasionally receives a reply of "Grats!" from Jin'do) when he "levels up" while you're fighting him. This exchange is of course familiar to anyone who's ever been in a guild. Clarice Foster *Near the entrance to the Pools of Vision in Thunder Bluff is an NPC named Clarice Foster, an amalgamation of two names - Jodie Foster and Clarice Starling, the character she played in Silence of the Lambs. Colonel Kurzen *Colonel Kurzen is a reference to fictitious Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, from Apocalypse Now, who has retreated to a camp in the Jungle. Dagun *In the quest "The Star, The Heart, and The Hand", players are employed to slay a sea giant called Dagun, which is a reference to the H.P. Lovecraft short story Dagon Doctor Herbert Halsey *In Undercity the expert alchemy trainer is named Doctor Herbert Halsey. This is a reference to two key characters: Herbert West and Dr. Halsey, in the pulp horror novel The Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft. In the book Herbert West creates an alchemical substance that can reanimate dead tissue. Dran Droffers and Malton Droffers *These two orcs who run a salvage shop in Orgrimmar are based on characters from the show Sanford and Son. They resemble Fred Sanford and his son Lamont (as much as a couple of orcs can, anyway), and Dran Droffers talks and acts like Fred Sanford, who ran a junk dealership similar to his. Finally, "Dran Droffers" is an anagram of "Fred Sanford" and "Malton" of "Lamont". Finkle Einhorn *Finkle Einhorn is a mob in Upper Blackrock Spire. He's a reference to Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. Franklin Lloyd *In Undercity there is an engineer named Franklin Lloyd, an homage to the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Gammerita *An elite turtle in the Hinterlands, the focus of two quests, is named Gammerita, a slight twist on the legendary turtle monster of Godzilla fame, Gamera. Hemet Nesingwary *This world-class hunter's name Hemet Nesingwary comes from rearranging the letters in Ernest Hemingway's name. His companions S. J. Erlgadin and Ajeck Rouack are anagrams of J.D. Salinger and Jack Kerouac, respectively. Nesingwary's book, "The Green Hills of Stranglethorn", references Hemingway's "Green Hills of Africa". Hin Denburg *At the zep tower for Undercity, one of the goblins is named Hin Denburg, a reference to The Hindenburg(Lz-129) that blew up at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on 5/6/1937. Jack and Tyler *In Undercity, there are two NPCs named Jack and Tyler fighting. This references Fight Club, the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, later made into a movie starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Larion and Muigin *At Marshal's Refuge, there are two characters named Larion and Muigin, a reference to Mario and Luigi. One is short and dressed in red, and the other is tall and dressed in green. Lieutenant General Andorov *When the Rajaxx event begins in the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, Lieutenant General Andorov says "Remember, Rajaxx, when I said I'd kill you last? I lied..." This is a reference to a line from the Arnold Schwartzenegger movie Commando. Linken *Also at Marshal's Refuge is a gnome dressed in green named Linken. He's clearly a reference to Link from the Legend of Zelda games. As quest rewards, he gives you a boomerang plus the option for a sword, both signature weapons from the game. Maws *Maws is a giant shark boss that players fight as part of the Ahn'Qiraj Scepter quest line. The name is a reference to the movie Jaws. Nat Pagle *Nat Pagle is named after Blizzard staff member Pat Nagle. Oglethorpe Obnoticus *Oglethorpe Obnoticus is a reference to the cartoon Aqua Teen Hunter Force. One of its characters is an alien named Oglethorpe, who consults a disco ball named Obnoticus for guidance. (Thottbot) Ossirian the Unscarred *Ossirian the Unscarred sometimes speaks lines from the Terminator movies. Patrick Garrett *In Undercity at the inn, the questgiver Patrick Garrett is a reference to the 1973 movie Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. Spraggle Frock *A character is named Spraggle Frock, a reference to the show Fraggle Rock. Sprock, Scooty and Jhordy Lapforge *The two goblins that operate the transporter that takes you from Gnomeregan to Booty Bay (and vice versa) are named Sprock and Scooty, a reference to Spock and Scotty from Star Trek. Theres also another transporter operator in Gadgetzan named Jhordy Lapforge, this time a reference to the chief engineer in Start Trek: The Next Generation, Geordi La Forge. Stephen Ryback and Erika Tate *In Stormwind, the cooking trainer and supplier are named Stephen Ryback and Erika Tate, respectively. These NPCs are references to the movie Under Siege, in which Steven Seagal played a cook named Casey Ryback, and Erika Eleniak played Jordan Tate. Tech Bot *Tech Bot in Gnomeregan says things the support department would say. It also spawns a critter named "Dupe Bug", a reference to a Diablo II bug. Some of his other spells include "Battlenet" (a snare) and "Lag" (a slowing effect) Thor *In Westfall the gryphon master is named Thor. He is a reference to Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Thunderaan *Many of the things that Thunderaan says are actual quotes from Mike Tyson. Tomas *In Goldshire there is a low level Cooking trainer named Tomas. This is a reference to the well-known UK-based tour operator Thomas Cook. Topper McNabb *One of the things panhandler Topper McNabb in Stormwind says is "I will gladly pay you on Tuesday for a hamburger today." The character of Wimpy in the Popeye cartoons often said this. Torta and Tooga *Torta and Tooga are turtles found in Tanaris. The names refer to Tortuga, which in Spanish means turtle or tortoise. Tortuga is also the name of a Pirate haven in the Carribean during the mid 17th to the late 17th century. Popularised in the movie "Pirates of the Carribean; The Curse of the Black Pearl". A reference to make light of the proximity to the pirates of the Coast south of Torta. Winstone Wolfe *In Ravenholdt Manor (which is a rogue-specific destination), there is a well dressed but fierce-looking man named Winstone Wolfe. This is a reference to the movie 'Pulp Fiction', which has a character named Winston Wolf, who is a well dressed, fierce-looking character with some roguish tendencies. Williden and Hol'anyee Marshall *Following the primordial theme of Un'Goro Crater, the main place where you will find quest NPCs is Marshall's Refuge, inside you will find three people: Hol'anyee Marshall, J.D. Marshall and Williden Marshall. Their television counterparts would be; Holly Marshall, Rick Marshall and Will Marshall, main characters from the TV show, "Land of the Lost." Quests So many quest titles are in-jokes or references of some form or another that they require their own sub-category! All Along the Watchtowers *Quest in Western Plaguelands, reference to a song by Bob Dylan, made famous by Jimi Hendrix. Chasing A-ME 01 *Quest in Un'goro Crater to find the mechanical gorilla, reference to the movie Chasing Amy. (The dialogue of the robotic ape also references the movie Congo.) Cure for Harpies *One of the Quest rewards for killing Serena Bloodfeather in the Barrens is the Zhovur Axe. Zovirax is a tradename treatment for the most common form of herpes, herpes simplex. Everything Counts in Large Amounts *A quest located in the Blasted Lands is a line of the chorus in the Depeche Mode song "Everything Counts". Gnome Improvement *A quest in Gnomeregan has the name Gnome Improvement which might be a refrence towards the popluar mid90's show called Home Improvement featuring Tim Allen and more. Houses of the Holy *Quest in the Eastern Plaguelands named after the classic Led Zeppelin song. Staghelm's Requiem *In the Alliance quest Staghelm's Requiem, Athramanis wants the player to kill troll players in the Alterac Valley battleground and "...return to me with their mojo. To reiterate: I want you to steal their mojo." In the second Austin Powers movie, Dr. Evil stole Austin's mojo. The Scrimshank Redemption *Quest in Tanaris, reference to "The Shawshank Redemption" Top Gun *Alterac Valley Wing Commander names Guse, Jeztor, Mulverick, Slidore, Vipore and Ichman are references to Top Gun- movie character names Goose, Jester, Maverick, Slider, Viper, and Iceman. Welcome to the Jungle *Quest in Stranglethorn Vale, Probably a reference to the song by Guns & Roses. (Thottbot) When Smokey Sings, I Get Violent *Quest in the Eastern Plaguelands, referencing the song "When Smokey Sings (I Hear Violins)", a tribute to singer Smokey Robinson. Thottbot Locations A Tailor to Cities *In Booty Bay there is a tailor shop named "A Tailor to Cities", a reference to Charles Dicken's novel "A Tale of Two Cities" Crystal Lake *Near Goldshire there is a lake named "Crystal Lake", with an NPC named Jason nearby. This is a reference to the popular horror movie series "Friday the 13th", and its homicidal antagonist, Jason Voorhees. Un'Goro Crater *The entire zone contains many references to the tv show "Land of the Lost". The entire zone is filled with dinosaurs. Crystals and special Pylons can be found throughout the zone, another feature of the tv show. Items Angelista's items *Angelista is listed in the "Special Thanks" section of the WoW credits, and is most likely a friend or relative of a Blizzard staff member. She's had 3 items named after her: Angelista's Charm, Angelista's Grasp, and Angelista's Touch. There also is a shop in Stratholme (you can't enter) that used to belong to a person named Angelista as you can read her name on the shield hanging atop the former entrance. Empty Barrel *You can sometimes receive Empty Barrels (tb) as loot from the thunderers and stompers in the northeast of Un'Goro, which is a reference to Donkey Kong. Linken's Sword and Boomerang *The gnome, Linken, offers two rewards at the end of his rather long quest-line: **Linken`s Sword of Mastery: In the 'Legend of Zelda' games, it was common to take a weak or powerless sword and to travel all over the world in a quest to restore its power in order to defeat some evil power. The name is a reversal of the common name for Link's sword, "The Master Sword." **Linken's Boomerang: Another common feature is a boomerang, used to stun or disable enemies, or collect far away objects. The 1 Ring *The 1 Ring is clearly a reference to "The One Ring" from the Lord of the Rings books. "The One Ring" was discovered at the bottom of a river by Smeagol (later Gollum) and his brother while fishing. The 1 Ring is a random low-level fishing drop. (Thottbot) The Emperor's New Cape The final boss of Blackrock Depths is named Emperor Dagran Thaurissan and drops a cape called "The Emperor's New Cape" that up untill 1.9 didnt have any graphics which is a refrence to the story called "The Emperor's New Clothes" by H.C Andersen where a greedy and more or less stupid emperor gets a new outfit that only the noble and worthy people can see, or at least he is told. He doesn't want to make himself to look ignoble or unworthy, so he pretends that he can see the clothes. The next day on a parade he walks in his new threads. A child notices that he is naked and points that out. In the end, he realizes that the clothes that only worthy people could see are in fact no clothes at all. http://www.thottbot.com/?i=4899 The Light And How To Swing It The Paladin book for the Dire Maul class trinket is named The Light and How to Swing It. A 1994 album by lounge singer Tom Jones is titled The Lead And How To Swing It. Silly Gnome Male *A "flirt" slash command if you are playing as a male gnome sometimes makes your character say "I like large posteriors and I cannot prevaricate." This verbosely paraphrases the opening line of one hit wonder Sir Mix-a-lot's single hit, Baby Got Back: "I like big butts and I cannot lie." Human Male *One of the human male's "silly" slash commands results in the following statement: "So, I have this idea for a great movie. It's about two gnomes who find a bracelet of power, and they have to take it to the Burning Steppes and cast it into the Cauldron. They form the Brotherhood of the Bracelet. Along the way they're trailed by a murloc named Gottum, who's obsessed with the bracelet, and nine bracelet boogeymen. It could be a three parter, called 'Ruler of the Bracelet'. The first part would be called 'The Brotherhood of the Bracelet', followed by 'A Couple of Towers', with a climactic ending called 'Hey, the King's Back!'" JRR Tolkien is turning in his grave. *This may also be a nod to the Simpsons episode Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song, in which Skinner says "Now I...I finally have time to do what I've always wanted: write the great American novel. Mine is about a futuristic amusement park where dinosaurs are brought to life through advanced cloning techniques. I call it "Billy and the Cloneasaurus." Orc Male *Male orc "silly" slash command: "It's not easy being green." This is the title of a song performed by Kermit the Frog. Tauren Female *"In my native tongue, my name is Dances with Tassels." is a reference to the Kevin Costner movie Dances with Wolves *"Happy Taurens come from Mulgore." The Milk Advisory Board's commercials included the slogan "happy cows come from California." Troll Male *As is pointed out on the Joke page, male troll's "silly" slash command about killing two dwarves similar to Smoke Two Joints by The Toyes. Having a troll paraphrase a reggae song is in keeping with their similarity to Jamaicans (or at least stereotypes of them). [This supposedly has been removed by a recent patch due to Copyright infringement] Games and Movies Austin Powers There is a cat criter in the new Naxxramas instance named Mr. Bigglesworth. If you kill it, Kel'Thuzad (himself) will yell "No!!! A curse upon you, interlopers! The armies of the Lich King will hunt you down. You will not escape your fate..." apparently he really liked that cat. Ghostbusters *In the Mage Quarter in Stormwind there are three mages sitting in a circle having an extended conversation. Eventually one of them will say “wouldn’t that be bad, like crossing the streams bad?”, a reference to the movie "Ghost Busters". *Egan's Blaster is a ranged-slot item used in the quest The Restless Souls that starts in Eastern Plaguelands. "Use Egan's Blaster on the ghostly and spectral citizens of Stratholme. When the restless spirits break free from their ghostly shells, use the blaster again - freedom will be theirs!" *One of the soldiers stationed at Chillwind Points complains that his job "definitely isn't worth another five thou-a year!" In the movie "Ghostbusters", Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson) says the same thing when his team votes for almost certain death to save the world (while fighing the undead, as it were.) *In the mage-specific quests Investigate the Alchemist Shop (Horde) and Investigate the Blue Recluse (Alliance), the player is asked to search an area for ghosts, fight them, and trap them in "containment coffers." Krull At Onyxia's Lair, in the first lava pool you come to on the right side, you can find a floating star shaped glaive and next to it a charred skeleton. A reference to the 80's scifi-fantasy movie Krull in which the powerful glaive weapon was found in a flowing river of lava in a dragon's cave. Nintendo Games *Un'Goro crater is filled with references to old Nintendo games: ** Linken, and the quests he sends players on, are references to the "Legend of Zelda" series, and its protagonist, Link. ** The kodo beast, Dadanga is a refernce to the very first 'Legend of Zelda' game. One of the early bosses is a triceratops who is weak against bombs. The old man who gives you hints on how to progress says, "Dodongo dislikes smoke.", a trait shared by Dadanga. ** Larion and Muigin, two dwarves, are an amalgam of the characters Mario and Luigi. They are both dressed in overalls of color similar to how Mario and Luigi are dressed in the 'Super Mario Brothers' games. Old School During the Horde quest to get 300 First Aid one of the dying soldiers refers to seeing "Blue" which is similar to a Will Ferrell line from the movie. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai In The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984), scientists develop a way for a rocket car to pass through solid matter (a mountain). In Thousand Needles not far from the raceway, near the path to Tanaris, you can see skid marks that lead into the side of the mountain. In Tanaris, on the opposite side of the mountain just west of Gadgetzan, the skid marks continue and lead to the crashed wreckage of a rocket car. In the movie, this scene took place on salt flats exactly like Shimmering Flats. Category:Blizzard Entertainment Category:Lore Category:Silly